Type 1 pumping on IVF

[Willertime]

Hi I have just joined this forum. I have just completed my second IVF cycle (both unsuccessful!) and will be starting a third cycle soon. I use an insight pump and a freestyle libre alongside my insight handset. I just wondered if anybody else here has been through or going through or about to start an IVF journey with type 1? I've read a couple of blogs but there's very little about how the different stages can affect your sugars and I am keen on hearing other people's experiences. In my first cycle they were all over the place and in my second cycle even more so with virtually no hypo warning signs and resulting in me taking 5 weeks off work. Although I must say I have always had unstable blood sugars no matter how hard I try and get AMAZING support from my diabetes team. Anyone else?

 

[poohtiggy]

I am type 2 so afraid I can't be of any help but I just wanted to say "good luck with the IVF my little granddaughter was born through the same process 4 years ago so I understand how stressful it is without the complications of Diabetes, all the best I hope it works out for you. Maybe there is someone on the forum who can help you, I do hope so

 

[azure]

I'm Type 1 and on a pump and have had IVF. I think it depends what meds you're on, but certainly some of mine messed my sugars up. I had to increase my basal rate quite a lot. I wasn't expecting them to have that much effect and I wasn't sure if it really was the meds to start with. I spoke to my DSN about it.

The best thing to do is to assume any meds will affect your sugars and test and test. Test after meals, test in the night, test whenever you don't feel quite right. I did have a number of hypos but I managed to catch most of them in good time by frequent testing.

Good luck!

 

[Willertime]

Thanks azure! Yes I think I've worked out the stimming meds put my sugars down and I frequently went on a 60-80% reduction in my basal rate but the progesterone generally put them up (around 130-140% basal) I still had up to 10 hypos per day and some sugars in the late 20's. I'm awfully worried that this is causing the IVF failures but my consultant thinks not. My hba1c is 48. I'm devoting every waking hour to my diabetes management and it's exhausting! I was hoping there is a known formula I.e this drug does this or that at this exact time.

 

[azure]

The one I found worst was the pill! I'd never taken it before so had no idea it could mess with blood sugars. I was also on progesterone but it's hard to know how much that affected my sugars. I think it put them up, but, as I got pregnant it could have been that.

I don't know if there's any info about what drugs could cause what blood sugar effect. I tended to react to what was happening and didn't really Google as I knew pregnancy would have an effect too. I found the early weeks hard and got paranoid about some high blood sugars. I thought they'd ruin everything and I was so upset and frustrated. But they didn't : )

Ten hypos is a lot. Did you find any cause? I found that at certain times of the day, my blood sugar would stay madly low and I'd be constantly having glucose to keep my sugars up. I also had to adjust some of my insulin to carbs ratios. Sometimes I also ate a small snack after a meal to keep my blood sugars up at certain times. I also did lots of correction doses to keep my blood sugar down if it was spiking after a meal.

Your HbA1C sounds very good : ) Unless your sugars were badly out of control, I doubt they'd be affecting the IVF success rates. Remember non-diabetic people can struggle too, so I think your consultant is right. I was told that if I had a high to not panic and just get it down as soon as I could, which is what I did. I also practically doubled the amount of tests I did a day, and added in night tests too. I found I had to watch my sugars constantly rather than rely on them being fine like I'd normally do.

It was hard at work so if you're able to get time off, then it might be beneficial anyway. IVF is stressful enough without having work too. I took time off for approx two weeks and I feel I benefitted from that as i was more relaxed and could concentrate on myself.